Vehicle



June24, 1930. F. J: ZALESKY 1,766,238

1 VEHICLE Filed May 31, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet l June 24, 1930. F. J.- ZALESKY VEHICLE [filed May 51, 1927 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 June 24, 1930. F. J. ZALESKY 1,766,238

VEHICLE I Filed May 51, 192'! 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 5 a 14 5 40 6 p q 6 I" s fl 10 fi a Patented June 24, V

' FRANK J. zALnsKYfor ne o TsTnxAs; ,l i

.. i 1 VEHICLE Z r i inpplicati oii filedMayf31, 1927f seem), 195,331,?

drawings, wherein'like niirnerals of reference deslgnate similar parts 1n each of the Figures,'the numeralsl, 1, designate the side Thisinvention relates -to' new and useful imsrovements in a vehlclei r ne object of the invention residesin a tiona'l view takent'on the line" not Fig- 1 vehicle steering; mechanism '-'whereby the ,igfrontand rear wheels of a truck, tractor, or

other fonrwheeledivehicle may be simultaneou'sly steered so as'to facilitate the turning of thevelii'cle;

- Another object of the'i n irention i550v W. :10 vide a vehicle equipped withavnove'l type of steering mechanisrn'whereby theTfron't and rear wheelsare operatively connected; to the end that whenv the front Wheels are turned in one direetiong i n steering, the rear wheels 1: may be turned-Lori steered in the opposite dig 'rection to facilitate the'tnrningof the-vehicle.

This type of -'steering 'niechanismis 'particue larly useful in vehicles when connected together a train for thefireason that said 3 120 vehicles will track, :or approximately track,

w, =30 tain novel features of construction, operatron, and arrangement of partsfan example off-whichis given in thisfspecific'ation' and "illustrated the accompanyingdrawings, wherei l f end of the vehicleg vi I V v t Figure 2sho'ws a planfview of the vehicle. ""Fig'nife 3shows an' enla'rged fragmentary vertic al"sectional"view. Figure 4 shows-a fragmentary CI'OSSVV sece-2 a r Figure '5sh'0ws a fragmentary vertical sectional view' taken onf the v line "of Fig 1 Figure 6 shows an elevation of the steering arm employed. f V ignre 7 shows" a vertical sectional view thereofQ Referring now moreu particnlarlyf to" the Y Fig irel shows a "si'de fg'view offthei' front members of the vehicle, which vehicle-maybe either of t'he animal draft, or trailer type 1- of vehicle; 'These side members are prefer- ;ablyformed of channel irons; The end's'of these side members are anchoredinfspaced,

fixed; relation by the end cross bars 2,3, and

as well by the'inte'rmediate cross bar4c, said "side meinbersand cross bars' forming-"the main frame'of the vehicle. There is a floor plate 5 at eachfen'd ofthe frame'which are secured to the side lnembers ,1 andis formed integrally with the corresponding Crossbars 7 2; and 3- andthese floor plates are formed IWitIi -the depending an'd downwardly coverg in'g side skirts 6, vThe numerals 7 and 8 i I designate,flrespectively, the fr'cmtiand rear axles of the vehicle'i' i Anchored to these axles, in a'co'nvention'al mannerfare the front andrearleaf springs 9 and 10, respectively,

spring-shackles 12. The side, members 1 whose forward 'ends 'are connectedtothe' 0017- r( a spending side members I by thespring anchors 1 1,and',wh'0s'e rear ends'are' connected to the corresponding side "members 1 by f the each havewhermp i and rear outwardly extending: bearings; 13, I and 14' andthe front andrear be aring rods 1 15lan d'l6 are anchored; at their lower ends, to the" corresponding'frontand'rear axles these; rods'workthrongh'the corresponding bearings IBQ-Mfand their, upper ends have enlargedfheads"11, 18 with the transverse v bearings 19,20 respectively;therethrough; f L'SXFII'QIIC and rear ooil springs21,122'surroiind the respective rods 15, 16 andizre interposed between th'e flcorrespondinggfrontand Ire'arf I axles and the bearings 13, '14 above'thern.

witlrtlie respective yoke s, as23, in which are oiitwardly extending. spindles, RS126, "on

The ends'of the'axle's 7 and 8 'areformed the spindle bodies, as 2 1, which are rotatable r on vertical hearings on I the spindle body I jboltsivas 25, whose ends are,fanchorelcl"to the i corresponding yokes in the conventional v 'Inanner and'the spindle bodies'24e have' the a "which the'front and rear 'vehicle wheels 27 i endgam rotatably mou nted. 100T J30, andthe corresponding spindle bodies have the integral circular end plates 81;, 32,

- I which'fit into the inner ends of the opposing I I housings and completelyenclosethe same.

link- 72ishinged'totheforwardly projecting yoke end so as to work on a transverse pivot 1 pin; 7 3* 'connect'ing themn ,The forwardiend I Bolted to the inner sides of the wheels v and 28 are the circular brake 'housingsj29,

Secured to the rear, side 'of theifrontxcross bar 2 and spaced apart, one above the other are the 'upper. and lower bearingrmembers "10 swivelling yoke 69, with ahearing PHI fitted downwardly through said hearing, I memhersandyokefcnwhich the yoke swivels: i V This yoke projects forwardly through an 67,68- and between these members there is the opening'71,'in the bar-2 and a connecting of the link 72 has a vertical bearing 74 and in order to connect the vehicle asya trailer to one in front-ofit said end of the link 74 may be inserted between-the arms of a clevi s I ;75, securedto therear end of each vehic le and jfits andginwhich'it is secured by nieanspfa a lin'chQ pin" 76 then dropped through the clevis bearings and the bearing 74. Thispin sec I animals are 'tongue,as 78,is attached to the'linl r-"72 of the .In ca frontvehicle.v 'Th e rear. end of this tongueis Y inserted through an, inverted U-shaped bracket 79, boltedtothe link- 72 andthe j tongue 78has a bracket 80 secured thereto and depending therefrom and forming a bea'ring' .81-intowhich the,forward end of the link7 2 linch pin 82.] 1:

f There'is asteering 83 rotatablemember 1.v V

longitudinallyaligned bearings 84, 8 car-- ried .bythe floor. Pl wa8 inlathe bearings 8 There are the front and rearsteeri'ng rods andf87 whose ends are pivotally, connected 1 32, the--former;in the, rear of the front axle to the respective front andrear end plates 31,

and the latter in'front of the rear axle De- I pendingfrom the steeringshaft 83Iand fixed thereto are the de'pending'steeringarms 88, 89 Q, and 90, of similar construction." "iE a'ch isteeringfarm "has' a .vertical'slot 91 therein :Witha bearingblock 92 vertically adjustable therein through the instrumentality offthe adjustingscrews 93,93, whichhavethreaded connections with said arm and between whose inner ends said block 92 clamped; 7 These a? adjusting screws, may zbe locked in clamping position bysuitable lock nuts,as.;94l.

There are threeconnecting rods 9'5, 9' 97. Theft-ma of these 'rods adjacent' the respec forme'd with ball bearings, as, 98, which j are fitted into sockets, as'r99,. provided in} the, blocks 92 to re'ceivethein. 'The other ends of the connecting rods have balland is secured against lossby a suitable chainas invention, which carried hythe adjacent side I p 7 i scope of'th'e appended'claims.

. 7 What ;I. ,claim is:l;

socket connections withithe bearing members 100, l, whicl1 in turn areconnected to the I clamps 102, 103 respectively, which are clamped onto the steering rods 86,87."

IThe'othercnd-o'f the connecting rod 95 has a ball and socket connection-with an adjustable bearing. block 10 which is, connected to 7 and is adjustablelengthwise,by anadjusting V r screw 105, with respect to the rearward we I I I tension 106 to which said rod 95-is con-j "nect'ed; 7 I T v It is clear that when the yoke 69 is turned "on the rod in one direction it will operate through the connecting rod 95 to correspondingly swing the'j arin 88 and impart a correspondingpartialrotation of thesteering shaft 83 which, operating thrOugh th'e arms 88, 89 and connecting rods 96, 9 7,wil l steer the front wheelsina direction corresponding V V I to the movement ofsaid yoke (59 and the-rear wheels in the opposite directionthus facili y-- tating the steering: of the vehicle i'n thedesired direction and the direction of noverment' of each vehicle in the tIZtllLWlll'CQllt-I'Ol the direction of movement o-fthe trailer con-:

nected onbehind it so that eachjvehicle or trailer maybe madetotrack the one infr ont I of it." The. movement .of the res'pecti;vey ve-' ,lncles connected in the trainsmayhe ofvcourse somewhat. varied by suitably adjusting the:

i'm' g gwnj sill I: the formlofthe preferredform:itfis obvious that various ine- YV Vhile I I now consider tolbe the jloo equivalentssubstituted'for the various, parts t shown and Iherehy reserve-the right to make [such mechanical changes a as may I be found 5. 5 f

advisable so long as Igdo notgdepartfromlthe .1. In a vehicle havin dles'; steering mechanism: including 1 trans-j I Steering i b lepivet y h e e to :front and rear spindles, respectively, ]a pivbtally mounted yoke, forming draft c9nnec-;

tion, a steering shaft steering arms fixed-to I V said: shaft and connecting rods I connecting a said arnis, one with the; draft connectionland the others with the respective steeringrods. f

Ina vehiclehaving front and rearaxles front and rear, road wheels; pivotally loonnected to said axles to moveon vertical'axes ed respectively with the front andirear wheels, a iorwardly fezgttended gdrjaft eonnecadjustahlejmeans operatively' connecting said draft connection withsaid rods and' th roughwhich the rods 1nay-be shifted to i V. si e l ri r ss Wheelsp ndles pivotedtoftheaxles toinove on'x' ve al axesandroad.wheelson said spin-,

steering mechanism includingfront, and-rear 7' transverse steer ng, rods operatively connecttion mounted to pivot on a; vertica1. a i

various; ,connectlng rods 95 ,"96,-97 w 1th1 re; I spect to the. steering ar'ms;to which they are connected.

steer the 'Wheels, said means. including a steering shaft, steering arms rigidly connected thereto and connecting rods pivotally connected to said arms, one of said rodsbeing adjustably connectedto' said draft connectransverse steering rods'operatively connected respectively with the front and rear Wheels, a pivotally mounte'd yoke projecting forwardly through said opening and forming a draft connection mounted to pivot on a verticalaxis, means .operatively connecting said draft connection with said rods'and through which the rods maybeshifted to steer'the 7 wheels, said meansincluding a steering shaft, steering arms rigidly connected thereto and connecting rods pivotally connected to said arms, one of. said rods being adjustablyconnected to its arm and being alsoconne'cted to said draft connection and the other connect- 7 ing rods being connected to the respective steering rods, the connectlons of sald connecting rods to said arms being adjustable.

4. In a vehicle having front and rear axles, front and rear road wheels pivotally con- 'nected to said axles to move on vertical axes;

steering mechanism includingfrontfland rear transverse steering rods, operatively connected respectivelywith the front and ,rear

wheels, a draft connection mounted to pivot on a vertical axis, means operatively connectc ing said draft connection'with said rods and through which the rods may be shifted to steer the wheels, said means including a steering shaft,- steering arms rigidly connected 7 thereto, a vertically adjustable bearing block I rigidly connected thereto andconnecting rods pivotally connected to said arms, one of said ed to the respective steering rods, the connecrods being connected to saiddraft connection .c I

and the other connect ng rods be ng connect tions of said connecting rods to said arms being adjustable, theconnection of sald con necting rod to said draft connection being adjustabler Intestimony name to this specification.

whereof I have .signedf my' FRANK jzALEsKr carried by one of said arms, and connecting e rods pivotally connected to said arms, one'of said rods being connected to saidblock and also connected tofsaid draft connection and the other connectingrods being connected to the respective steering rods, the connection of said rod to said draft'connection be- 5. In a vehicle having asupporting frame havlng' a front cross bar, front and rear axles,

ing adjustable.

front and rear road whe'els pivotallyconneced to said axles tovmove Onvertical axes; steerlng mechanism'lncluding front and rear transverse steering rods operatively connected respectively with the front and rear Wheels, said cross bar having an opening and a yoke extending through the opening forming a draft connection mounted to pivot on the vertical axis, means operatively connecting said draft connection with said rods and through which the rods maybe shifted to steer the'wheels, said means including a longitudinal steering'shaft, steering arms 5 

